Monthly Archives: October 2018

There is no house on this planet that doesn’t need frequent maintenance and as a home owner if you’re having trouble organizing your plans regarding home improvement, there is absolutely no need to worry for you. There are a many shows that impart enlightening knowledge to home owners about undertaking home improvement projects.

With more and more home owners benefiting from home improvement TV shows, producers have made sure you can even buy episodes of these shows on DVDs. The reason why these TV shows have hit such heights of fame is that they touch those issues related to DIY which frustrate every home owner. Tips associated with gardening, interior designing, repairs and other issues are there for the taking for you, all you have to do is to tune in to the best home improvement shows regularly.

Here are a few popular TV shows that can help you formulate your own plan:

Clean House:

Have you wanted to get rid of the clutter in your house for a few years but without enough will to really accomplish this task? If so, watching ‘Clean House’ TV show will help you in a number of ways. ‘Clean House’ is one of the most popular TV shows of our time being aired on Style Network. The show is hosted by Niecy Nash and the cast also includes an interior decorator and yard sale experts.

The theme of the show is to help families clean out their houses off unwanted objects so as to initiate a plan. The expert panel in the show firstly helps select the clutter, guides the family in selling it off in a yard sale and then undertakes home improvement with the sale proceeds of the clutter. The show will also inform you about how to do home repair with minimum cost.

Take Home Handyman:

For home owners who need some really elaborative guidance on DIY, ‘Take Home Handyman’ is just the right TV show. Aired on TLC, ‘Take Home Handyman’ is hosted by Andrew Dan-Jumbo, a carpenter and craftsman by profession. The theme of the show revolves around Andrew offering help to DIY customers in planning and undertaking their projects. Andrew also gives help in starting some side projects about home improvement. The best thing you’ll notice about this show is that each and every stage of the project is explained in an elaborate manner.

Home Made Simple:

In order to learn about simple living and great DIY plans, ‘Home Made Simple’ is a TV show aired on TLC that is a must watch for you. Hosted by the Home Mavens, ‘Home Made Simple’ is a show that debuted in 2006 and ever since it has become very popular among home owners and families. The hosts and friends help families simplify their living by inexpensive home improvement. A number of other tips about a healthy and simple lifestyle are imparted to viewers in this show. If you’re up for some home improvement projects, ‘Home Made Simple’ will inspire you to achieve what you previously thought was impossible!

Here you will learn to cast natural-looking stone for pennies each! With these instructions, readily available molds, concrete, and items found in most garages, you can make professional-looking stone or veneer for about $0.55 a square foot, depending on thickness. Why pay $6.00 or more at retail? And you can make the stone in any colors you like, right in your garage, basement, shed, or backyard. No special skills are required. Just follow these simple step-by-step instructions.

MAKING CONCRETE STONE: You can make concrete castings almost anywhere, and depending on temperatures, at almost any time. The main thing is to stay above freezing temperatures during the mixing and curing process. Once concrete is cured, temperature is not a factor. The cast stone can be stored outside with no problems. After mixing, and during the curing process, it is best to produce the stone in as moderate a temperature as possible, even though concrete sets up and cures at almost any temperature.

CONCRETE MOLD PREPARATION: First, apply a mold release to the molds. Use a commercial mold release or a light vegetable oil. For ease, spray the release from a Dollar Store plant-misting sprayer directly into the mold. Spread the oil and wipe any excess out with a fine sponge or cotton cloth. A very light coating is all that is required. To get a natural random shading effect, sprinkle powdered colorant into the oiled mold. Shake it from side to side. Use a brush to spread the colorant around the inside of the mold. The most natural looking results are obtained with a random spreading and dusting of a couple of colors.

MIXING PREMIX BAGS OF CONCRETE: If you have a very large project, or want to use a basic concrete mix using Portland cement, or if you want to make a lightweight concrete, basic concrete mixes are available on Google, and concise step-by-step instructions normally come with molds.

The bag of concrete has mixing instructions to follow. You want a stiff mix, but not one that is too dry. It should not flow like pancake batter. Too thin a mix will give you a weak stone. To color your stone, blend powdered colorant into the dry concrete first. If using a liquid colorant, add it to your batch water first, then proceed as normal. When your concrete is mixed and colored, fill the molds halfway. Vibrate your molds by bouncing to compact the mix and disburse trapped air. Then fill molds the rest of the way. Excess liquid will come to the surface during this process. Do not remove this water as it helps with hydration. Now put your filled mold on a level surface away from direct sunlight. Cover with plastic. Keep the concrete wet for as long as possible. The hydration process is what helps cure the stone. Leave the filled molds alone for about 24 hours. The concrete will get stronger the longer it’s curing in the mold.

DEMOLDING: Normally, you can demold your stone after 24 hours. Place your mold flat with the face of the mold up. Gently lift the mold off from the corners. It will normally come off your stone easily. If it sticks, gently press the center and each mold corner lightly to help loosen it. There, you have it! If you are going to pour more stone right away, apply mold release to molds and follow the procedure as before. Use mold release to help dislodge any color or concrete that may have stuck to your molds.

CURING YOUR STONE: You should now put your stones in a protected area and cover them with plastic again to keep the moisture in. Let them cure for a week or two before applying a sealer. If your stone is for an exterior application, you can apply a penetrating sealer to protect it and help prevent staining. If it’s an interior wall application you don’t even have to seal it. A topical sealer can be used for floors if desired. Your stone can be installed about a week after demolding if you need to.